paper clips
by tombombadillo
Summary: Kate Beckett is looking at him weirdly. She is looking at him weirdly, and it is freaking Richard Castle out because he is usually well practiced in the Looks of Beckett, and he's never seen this one.


**A/N: because when Evie is in a blergh mood, Katie writes her fluff. (I just wanted an excuse to write this because I've had the idea for aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages. The title actually has not a lot to do with the _actual_ story line, but I'm useless with titles as it is, so deal with it.**

**Disclaimer: I suspect Marlowe actually has money.**

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><p>Kate Beckett is looking at him weirdly. She is looking at him weirdly, and it is freaking Richard Castle out because he is usually well practised in the Looks of Beckett, and he's never seen this one. He's seen the <em>come-hither-impromptu-make-out-session-in-a-cupboard<em> look (they don't happen as much as he would like) and he's seen the _he's-the-most-amazing-man-on-the-planet_ (true, because frankly, he is). He's had the _don't-make-me-shoot-you_ look. The hungry (for food) look. The _Castle-stop-messing-with-the-radio _look. The _I'm-going-to-pretend-to-be-angry-at-you-but-I'm-actually-really-amused_ look. The… well, there's a lot of Kate Beckett looks (he should write a book). But this one. This one is different. It's all soft brown eyes, and he doesn't think she's actually stopped smiling since they arrived (and that was a fair few hours ago). She looks… different. And he really can't work out how. The thing is he's pretty sure that he has seen this particular look on someone else before. He just can't remember who and why. It's distracting him and allowing Ryan to actually win at cards (Gates has been on holiday for the past week and they're making the most of the freedom) which hardly ever happens. Oh well. He's only doing it because Kate has banished him from her desk while she finishes paperwork. Apparently making her a daisy chain crown out of paper clips was not conducive to a productive atmosphere. Neither was trying to make said crown into a vast spider web that covered most of her desk. Then he'd got a _stop-it-or-die_ look. He'd left her alone after that.

He's watching her make coffee. Which is all kinds of creepy, he knows that. But she's long since stopped chastising him for it. "Castle, you're staring at me." Mostly.

"S'not my fault." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, it's not! You look… different."

"Different?"

He frowned. "Yeah. But you still look the same." She turned to him, one eyebrow furrowed, the other raised, mouth slightly open. That one's usually reserved for when he has ridiculous theories. "I'm trying to work it out, bear with me."

She laughs, her smile spreads that little bit wider, and she turns and leaves the room, taking her coffee with her. He stays there for a while, knowing that he's still effectively banished from Kingdom of Kate. So he sits and he thinks. Thinks back to all the semi-permanent women in his life (not that he's ever going to admit to that in front of Kate) and tries to remember where on earth he's seen that particular look before. Gina would rather gouge her eyes out than look that… lovey dovey? No. Well, that look would never grace her oh so charming features anyway. Paula? Don't make him laugh. He doesn't think he's ever seen it on Paula. So it must be… Meredith.

Oh.

Oh, now he knows that look. Easier to recognise because he knows what he's looking for. The way she looks like she's keeping a secret. The way she's glowing but not glowing. He probably should have seen it before, she's been sleeping on her front recently (not that it would matter, she's barely showing) and eats more than normal (though he's not going to complain about that because he always said she didn't eat enough when she's working), and she has kept touching her stomach more often these past couple of months. And he really can't remember the last time she demanded chocolate ice cream for no reason other than to curl up on the sofa in sweats with a ridiculously cheesy movie on the TV (they both pretend he didn't catch her with Star Wars one time). Really, how hasn't he seen this one coming?

He pushes himself away from the wall, hands in his pockets; tries to walk back to her desk all casual like. It doesn't quite work. He catches her looking at him as he reappears, and it turns him into an excited puppy because all he can do is scurry over, sit in his chair, both elbows on her desk, chin resting on his fists. He grins, and he's aware that he probably looks like some love sick teenager (he is a love sick forty something, but that's not the point).

"Touch those paper clips again and you are a dead man." Is the first thing she says, but they both know she's not serious.

"Noted." He replies, still grinning. Still staring.

"Can I help you with something?"

"You've got a secret."

She turns her head slightly, eyeing him carefully. "What makes you say that?"

"I know what it is."

"Doesn't make it much of a secret if you know, does it?" she replies, pushing a stack of paper away from her and stretching. He can't help the way his eyes move downwards to her abdomen. A slight bump. Maybe. Possibly. She's smiling at him again. "Castle."

He's far too distracted to pay proper attention to anything right now. "Mmm?"

"Are you coming home or not? Paper work is done."

"Really?"

"Well, no. But it can wait until tomorrow. As for now, I just want to go home and put my feet up."

He's picked up her coat before she's even finished her sentence, holds it out so she can slide her arms in. He pulls her hair out from under her collar, let's her grab her bag and waits for her to collect her stuff together before bidding goodnight to the other two detectives. He follows her over to the lift, bounces on the balls of his feet as they wait for the doors to open. He can't keep still and she huffs at him as she leans against the back wall. "Castle, you're making me feel dizzy. Quit moving."

"Sorry." He stops, leaning next to her. "So."

"So?"

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

She frowns at him. "Is what a boy or a girl?"

"The baby!"

"What baby?"

"Our baby!" he exclaims. Oh, he wants to run around and scream and shout and tell absolutely everyone in the street.

"Is this you telling me you want to have babies with me?"

"I _am_ having a baby with you!"

"To the point. I suppose that's one way of putting it…"

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaate." He whines, and she can't help but laugh.

"I don't know. Some days it feels like it's a boy… and then others it's a girl." She ran the pads of her fingers across her stomach. "Feels like a boy today though." She looks up at him. "I was going to tell you tonight. But apparently you figured it out by yourself."

"We should think of names."

"I hereby say no to any names that you come up with." Kate says, stepping out of the lift.

"Anakin!"

"He's going to get bullied!" She sighs, heading for the garage and digging her keys out of her pocket.

"Elvis."

"Bullied." She throws her keys at him, and he's not sure whether it's because she's letting him drive or because she wants him to shut up. He goes for the former option.

"Englebert." Oh, he got a _don't-make-me-shoot-you_ look for that one. "Hamish!"

"Castle, I'm not even showing yet. We've got months. Besides, it could be a girl."

"Hermione!"

She didn't have the heart to fight him on that one.


End file.
